Alabama A&M University to Enable Campus-wide Mobile Access for Students, Faculty and Staff with Network Based on Aruba’s MOVE Architecture

Aruba Networks, Inc. (NASDAQ: ARUN) today announced that Alabama A&M
University (AAMU), one of the oldest – and fastest growing –
universities in the country, is deploying a mobile access network based
on the Aruba Mobile Virtual Enterprise (MOVE) architecture to provide
secure, reliable wireless coverage to students, staff and faculty. The
new wireless network, which is being deployed in three phases, is
designed to provide users with pervasive access across the entire campus
using their desktops, laptops, tablets and smartphones.

With a student enrollment of approximately 5,200 and about 1,000 faculty
and staff, AAMU has grown quickly, moving from a ranking of 28th
to 18th in the U.S. News & World Report’s 2012 college
rankings. According to Greg Marrow, Chief Information Officer, for
Alabama A&M University Information Technology Services, more students
are evaluating the university than ever before and, as a result, AAMU
believes that it is critical to provide innovative technology solutions
that will help attract and retain students as well as assist them in
graduating.

According to Marrow, one of the university’s primary goals is to ensure
that students have even better wireless network performance than they
have at home and that they are able to access the network with the
device of their choice. The university also wants to give students the
ability to log into its learning management systems to view their
personal records, academic information and class assignments from their
dorm rooms, not just common areas within the residence halls. It also
recognizes the need to accommodate the growing number of mobile devices
on the network including iPhones, iPads and Android devices. Using the
Aruba Networks 6000 Series Mobility Controller, approximately 260 Aruba
AP-105 access points and the Aruba AirWave Management System, the
university is confident that it will achieve all of these goals.

AAMU recently completed the first phase of its Aruba wireless
deployment, delivering access to all ten of its residence halls. Phase
two of the deployment, with an estimated completion date of August 2012,
will focus on the academic buildings across campus, ensuring that
wireless is available in the classrooms. Phase three, with a projected
completion date of December 2012, will enable wireless in all outdoor
common areas across campus.

“We probably see about 1,000 clients on the network during peak times,”
said Marrow. “It was critical that we be able to deliver reliable
coverage for students, who are among the most demanding users and who
want to connect with the devices they bring with them from home. The
Aruba Network solution is easy to deploy and manage, delivers great
performance and with AirWave, we can keep track of and manage all the
new mobile devices hitting the network. This benefits our students, as
well as our IT department.”

Distance learning is a key initiative for AAMU. Marrow noted that about
85 percent of faculty members currently use Blackboard Learn for online
education delivery.

“Students definitely need access to course materials from wherever they
are on campus and are increasingly enrolling in online-only courses,” he
stated. “We currently offer more than 30 courses online and plan to
launch our first full online degree program in management this August.
Obviously, the wireless network is a crucial component in the evolution
of our online and distance learning strategy.”

The university has also implemented a pilot deployment of iPads.
Professors are using the tablets to upload materials to the learning
management system in the classrooms in real-time, so students can access
them during class. The information is transmitted wirelessly and
displayed on classroom smart boards, eliminating the need for
projectors. Marrow noted that in this current pilot, the speed of the
wireless connection is actually better than the wired network connection
previously used, and Aruba’s self-healing technology, which enables one
AP to take over for another should it become congested with too many
connections, helps the university ensure reliability for users. Marrow
also said that the Aruba solution fits well into the university’s longer
term plans including their intention to run voice over the wireless
network.

“Universities like Alabama A&M are leading the way in creating
innovative ways for teachers to teach and for students to learn and
derive the most from their university experience,” said Robert
Fenstermacher, director of educational solutions marketing for Aruba.
“Aruba’s MOVE architecture provides a solid foundation on which
educational institutions can deliver these critical capabilities
reliably and cost-effectively.”

Listed on the NASDAQ and Russell 2000® Index, Aruba is based in
Sunnyvale, California, and has operations throughout the Americas,
Europe, Middle East, and Asia Pacific regions. To learn more, visit
Aruba at http://www.arubanetworks.com.
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